Seafarer wellbeing has declined for the second consecutive quarter as heavy workloads, restricted shore leave and concerns over pay increasingly weigh on crews, according to new research from The Mission to Seafarers.
The Christian maritime welfare charity’s latest Seafarers Happiness Index gave overall happiness a score of 6.87 out of 10 in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 7.18 in the first 3 months of the year and 7.26 at the end of 2025.
Published in association with Idwal and Inmarsat Maritime, the quarterly index is based on voluntary and anonymous responses from seafarers around the world across 10 areas of life and work at sea.
The report describes the index as a “window into the human realities behind international trade” and argues that conditions have shifted from the “acute shock” seen earlier in the year, when conflict and security concerns dominated responses, towards a more prolonged period of “chronic strain.”
Its opening assessment says that “the defining feature of this period is the continued erosion of crew morale,” with everyday working conditions rather than a single crisis increasingly responsible.
The findings also echo the 2026 Day of the Seafarer theme, “Carrying world trade. Carrying the risks,” with the report noting that ships carry not only cargo but people dealing with the psychological burden of geopolitical threats, inspections and commercial pressures.
All 10 categories measured by the survey recorded lower scores than in the previous quarter.
Shore leave recorded the sharpest decline, falling from 6.78 to just 5.72, making it the lowest-rated aspect of seafarer life.
Respondents described port calls as increasingly demanding, leaving little opportunity to spend time away from their vessels.
“Access to shore leave is impossible since port calls are always hectic,” one seafarer said.
The report notes: “We should not see shore leave as a marginal benefit, occasional luxury or privilege. Seafarers repeatedly describe it as essential to restoration, mental health, dignity and the feeling of being human rather than merely operational labour.”
It warns that restricted opportunities to go ashore can combine with fatigue to create a “downward spiral,” particularly as shorter port stays, immigration restrictions and operational demands make shore leave harder to access.
Workload management was the second-lowest category, scoring 6.20.
Some respondents raised concerns that official records of working and rest hours did not reflect the reality of life onboard.
“Rest hours are just for authorities and filing,” one said.
Others spoke of a constant cycle of watchkeeping, inspections, paperwork and rapid vessel turnarounds, with one respondent saying that when work has to be completed, “shore leave and downtime cannot compete.”
The report says workload has become a wider safety concern because it directly affects crews’ ability to rest, train, exercise and spend time ashore.
Training and development also saw a notable fall, dropping from 7.52 to 6.97.
Some seafarers questioned whether mandatory training was keeping pace with the threats faced by modern crews, particularly against the backdrop of conflict affecting major shipping routes.
“We train to check ID, which seems lame when we are facing missiles and drones,” one respondent said.
The report characterises some poorly designed training as “compliance theatre,” warning that exercises intended to improve competence can instead become box-ticking demands that take up already limited rest time.
Pay remained another source of discontent.
Although the wages score dipped only slightly, from 6.91 to 6.86, comments suggested that seafarers increasingly compare their earnings with opportunities available on land rather than simply with traditional maritime salaries.
“Salary is stuck in year 2000s range,” one respondent said, while others noted that similar money could be earned ashore alongside social security and other benefits, and wage increases had failed to keep pace with inflation and the rising cost of living.
The report warns that this could deepen recruitment and retention problems, particularly among younger workers.
“Young crew are leaving the industry because there are no advantages remaining compared with a shore job,” one seafarer said.
There were, however, significant areas of encouragement.
Relationships between crewmates remained the strongest-performing category at 7.49, while connectivity scored 7.46.
The report describes shipboard relationships as an important first line of welfare support, while access to communications allows seafarers to maintain family life despite spending long periods away from home.
“I’m super happy because of the free internet. It makes it easier to stay connected,” one seafarer said.
Another praised the atmosphere onboard their vessel, saying: “Everyone performs their duties responsibly and works well together, creating a positive and efficient working environment.”
The report nevertheless warns that connectivity can also bring new pressures, particularly when seafarers in dangerous areas have to reassure worried family members following news of conflict or severe weather.
One respondent said they spent hours trying to convince their wife that they were safe, which took a “massive toll.”
Some seafarers also spoke positively about employers that listened to their concerns, provided reliable relief at the end of contracts and rewarded staff fairly.
“I am heard, my company looks after the crew,” one respondent said.
The figures nevertheless revealed substantial differences between groups.
Female respondents recorded an average happiness score of 6.06, compared with 7.13 among men.
The report also identified particularly low morale among some mid-career seafarers, while those aged 55 to 65 recorded one of the strongest scores.
There was considerable variation by vessel type and region. Cable ship crews recorded an average score of 5.05 and container ship workers 5.85, while respondents in the Middle East averaged just 4.94.
Captains and chief engineers were also among the less satisfied ranks, something the report linked to the heavy administrative and regulatory burden placed on senior leadership.
Mission to Seafarers’ Ben Bailey said the findings should concern the wider maritime sector.
“Seafarers are extraordinarily resilient, but we must not mistake resilience for unlimited capacity; endurance is not the same as wellbeing,” he said. “The fundamentals that crews are asking for are strikingly basic: enough rest to recover, connectivity to sustain family life, quality food, and pay that justifies the sacrifice. The brightest results prove happiness at sea is achievable.”
GM and Vice President of Inmarsat Maritime Gert-Jan Panken said the findings showed that seafarer wellbeing was shaped by the decisions made across the industry, particularly around connectivity, leadership and onboard working conditions.
He added: “Technology alone is never the answer, but when combined with a genuine commitment to crew welfare and safety, it can help create a more connected, resilient and rewarding experience at sea. As our industry continues to evolve, we must ensure that progress is measured not only by operational performance, but by the safety and wellbeing of the people who keep global trade moving.”
Idwal’s Head of Global Strategic Accounts and part of its seafarer advocacy team, Thom Herbert, said the index helped bring “the realities of life at sea into clear view.”
He said Idwal’s own experience of working alongside crews reinforced the importance of “strong leadership, respectful relationships and meaningful support from shore,” adding that “the industry must ensure that seafarers’ professionalism and commitment are valued, not simply relied upon.”
The report similarly warns against mistaking the strength of seafarers for an ability to withstand unlimited pressure, saying the industry must move beyond “box-ticking compliance and collectively choose to value its people over the paperwork.”
Its conclusion goes further, warning of a “profound moral and operational crisis” created by a “dangerous chasm between regulatory compliance and human reality.”
“A vessel can be technically compliant, legally staffed, and fully certified, yet remain an environment of profound isolation and emotional exhaustion,” it states.
Despite the concerns, the report insists that declining morale is not inevitable, pointing to vessels where strong leadership, dependable contract relief, good safety cultures, modern ships and responsive shore-based management have produced much more positive experiences.
It concludes that “the divide between a thriving ship and a struggling one rests on tangible company choices,” and warns that the “industry cannot extract performance indefinitely without investing in the people who deliver it.”
The organisation is also launching a separate Shorebased Happiness Index, aimed at maritime professionals working on land.
The report acknowledges the limitations of self-reported research but argues that the comments provide an important indication of problems that may otherwise go unheard, saying: “We use numbers to start the conversation, but we use seafarers’ voices to tell the truth.”
